HMX (octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine) is the most powerful non-nuclear military explosive in military use at present. It is conventionally manufactured by nitrolysis of hexamethylenetetramine by a modification of the Bachmann process for RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-s-triazine). HMX can also be produced by nitrolysis of TAT (octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetracetyl-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine), which is currently prepared by acetolysis of hexamethylenetetramine. However, in addition to TAT, that process also produces the undesirable six-membered ring analogue, TRAT (hexahydro-1,3,5-triacetyl-s-triazine).